Jennifer Warren Movies

Future Oscar winner Hilary Swank gives an excellent account of herself in this made-for-TV movie as Lisa Connors, a college student who is pressured into pledging for the campus' most prestigious sorority by her ambitious mother (Isabella Hoffman). Among the other pledges is the desperately lonely and insecure Shelby Blake (Jenna von Oy), who, like Lisa, is forced to endure unspeakable humiliations during the hazing process. When Shelby dies in a fall from the college clock tower, her death is declared a suicide, but Lisa doesn't buy this verdict (nor does the viewing audience, who knows that Shelby was killed following the orders of snobbish sorority girl Drea Davenport [Sarah Chalke]). At the risk of her own reputation and academic future, Lisa embarks upon a crusade to uncover the truth behind Shelby's demise, making powerful enemies all along the way. Originally an "NBC World Premiere Movie," Dying to Belong first aired February 24, 1997. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Carolyn Chute's fascinatingly complex novel Beans of Egypt, Maine was softened and simplified for this 1994 film treatment. Martha Plimpton plays Earlene Pomerleau, who resides in the Maine backwoods community of Egypt. Earlene is swept off her feet by her studdish, irresponsible neighbor Beal Bean (Patrick McGaw), the youngest member of the much-despised Bean family. She lives to regret her sexual impulsiveness, while Beal is forcefully reminded of the importance of family loyalty. Co-produced by PBS' American Playhouse, the film is a toned-down version of the rough-hewn Chute original, ending so abruptly that it seems as though someone tore out the last five script pages just before shooting started. Beans of Egypt, Maine has been released to video as Forbidden Choices. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

If a comedy is to be made from the plight of the homeless, who have to scrape through their days returning deposit bottles and cleaning car windshields to get their daily bread as the rich get richer and more heartless, it may as well be Mel Brooks' Life Stinks. The trademark Brooks humor dominates this fable about a ruthless billionaire, Goddard Bolt (Mel Brooks), who wants to obliterate a poor section of Los Angeles and build a high-tech commercial center in its place. His only problem is that he owns only half the land needed for the construction, the other half belonging to equally ruthless billionaire Vance Craswell (Jeffrey Tambor), who has his own ideas for the land. The two try to buy each other out until, finally, a deal is struck: Craswell bets that Bolt cannot survive a month on the streets as a homeless man. If Bolt makes it, he gets the property. If he doesn't, Craswell gets it. Bolt agrees and, as a poor man, he begins to feel the pain of being uprooted and alone, even meeting a friendly homeless woman, Molly (Lesley Ann Warren) with whom he forms an attachment. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Rita Rizzoli (Whoopi Goldberg) is a crusading narcotics cop assigned to track down the source of some killer crack cocaine in this pretentious and preachy anti-drug crime drama. Rita poses as a prostitute and is soon hot after two small-time hoods (Brad Dourif and Mike Jolly) who murder their way up the drug-dealing ladder in hopes of becoming kingpins. Cheech Marin and Catherine Blore provide interesting cameos in this feature that co-stars Ruben Blades and Sam Elliott. Contains stereotypical characters and gratuitous violence. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

After twenty-five years, a trio of old high school friends are held responsible for a rape incident they have, until now, kept secret in this television miniseries based on Thomas Thompson's novel. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide

This short-lived TV series was based on the 1982 television movie of the same name and focused on two young women and their mothers negotiating the New York modeling scene with the rich, the fashionable, and the powerful. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

A muscular pair of Yankee brothers visit a backwater Georgia town and end up involved with rednecked mutant zombies. The campy horror begins when brother Mike suddenly disappears. Puzzled brother Josh, with the help of Sheriff Will Stewart and schoolmarm Holly begin a desperate search. Unfortunately more trouble ensues when they find that toxic waste has transformed their normally peaceable neighbors into scary monsters. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This made-for-TV Alien clone is set entirely on an offshore oil platform, whose drilling crew inadvertently penetrates a pocket of dormant prehistoric eggs -- as well as the nest's very active, toothy guardian. The slithering little beastie takes up hiding aboard the rig and puts the bite on several crew members, who become infected with a malevolent virus. One such carrier rapes a female driller, who soon gives birth to a bipedal reptile-man (bearing a more than passing resemblance to H.R. Giger's Alien designs). Excellent production values and some effective shocks manage to disguise the film's overall lack of originality, and the Jim Cummins creature designs are fairly sophisticated for man-in-suit monsters. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide

After a particularly bitter argument with her divorced mother, teenager Libby Bellow (Mare Winningham) runs away from home. Eventually, she links up with a traveling carnival and takes on a variety of responsibilities, in so doing coming to the realization that her life at home might not have been so bad after all. In addition to serving as an early showcase for actress Mare Winningham, this made-for-TV film also features a number of original songs by Janis Ian. Freedom was originally telecast by ABC on May 18, 1981. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this sports melodrama that boldly illustrates the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, Lynn-Holly Johnson plays Iowa farm girl Alexis Winston, who has a God-given talent for ice skating. With the encouragement and training of the local ice-skating rink operator Beulah Smith (Colleen Dewhurst), she manages to win the first prize trophy at a regional ice-skating competition. At the competition, she is spotted by Olympic coach Deborah Machland (Jennifer Warren), who promotes her as an underdog competitor, and she skyrockets to fame. Her career is going like gangbusters, until she is blinded in a freak accident. But with the help of her caring boyfriend Nick (Robby Benson) and her encouraging father Marcus (Tom Skerritt), she overcomes her depression just in time to prove herself at a major competition. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

NBC correspondent Betty Rollin's book about her own mastectomy, First You Cry, was adapted for television by Carmen Culver. Mary Tyler Moore plays Ms. Rollins, who discovers after her breast surgery that her "loving" husband (Anthony Perkins) is a cad who can't withstand the pressure of living with a woman in dire need of emotional support. Thankfully, Ms. Rollins is able to begin a new life with the tender, compassionate man (Richard Crenna) who's loved her all along. Unfortunately, the rest of the film is just as simplistic as its romantic angle. Despite Mary Tyler Moore's consummate performance, First You Cry (originally telecast November 8, 1978) is better read than seen. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide